IE 8 works, Mozilla and Google Chrome have stopped working

[TallTravel]

Windows XP Media Edition
WiFi connection used for Internet
ERROR message: Web page not available, or unable to connect

I have been using Google Chrome for many months, daily. Everything has been perfect. I had been using Mozilla Firefoz, which again worked perfectly. I changed for practical reasons--I like the cleanliness of the interface, the way the predictive typing works, etc.

So yesterday Chrome begins telling me the internet is not available. I tried IE 8 (I always keep it in reserve) and it worked perfectly. Eager to test for the real problem, I tried Firefox, and even that will not work.

Any ideas?

Please note: IE 8 is working perfectly from any web site. No issues at all.

[glc]

System restore is your friend.

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by glc System restore is your friend.

Sorry, I have absolutely no idea how to use this information to repair my computer. Other than the obvious, looking into my OS to locate " system restore ", I don't know the next step, nor what to look for, as there does not seem to be anything on that tab to do anything except turn it on or off. I don't even know if the problem you are implying I might fix is a spedific application, or a problem with the OS's handing of a specific feature or function.

I am not in the business of pc repair, have no experience in programming, and my knowledge of my OS is purely as a consumer. I have no clue what to do, other than look into my system's restore to see that it is turned on.

Any specific guidance is appreciated.

[rjfvillarosa]

I am going to assume you are using Windows XP.
Click, Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools> System Restore, now just follow the screens to restore your computer back to a date before this problem started.
Let me know how you get on.

[David M]

I have a similar problem. I cannot use Internet Explorer when I have a Firefox window open...it locks up Firefox. The solution for me is to never use Internet Explorer.

[glc]

Sorry, I have absolutely no idea how to use this information to repair my computer.

I apologize for not holding your hand, but you could have used a search engine to determine how to use it once I pointed you in that direction. You learn a lot better by doing research rather than asking to be spoonfed. Perhaps from your previous posts over the years I may have gotten the impression you were more technically experienced.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=System+Restore

[jdeb]

I do not care for google chrome at this time.

[TallTravel]

Well, guys, I found and used system restore--three times, with three different dates, and it did not fix the problem.

Each time I followed the direction, picking dates further and further into the past month. Each time I found a date when I knew the problem was non existent, the first time before this past weekend, the second time about 10 days ago, and the third time some three weeks ago. Each date I know for sure was before the problem first occurred.

So are there any other suggestions?

[Statica]

Do you have any antivirus software that is blocking Firefox or Chrome's access to the internet? http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/...rading+Firefox for example.

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Statica Do you have any antivirus software that is blocking Firefox or Chrome's access to the internet? http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/...rading+Firefox for example.

Well, all of the programs I am runnnig were also running well before the probelm, with no known changes. AVG Free has been running perfectly for some two years, and Zone Alarm has been running on a daily basis for some 6 motnhs with no issues and no recent changes or upgrades.

Both of those programs are operating on this computer, with no recent changes or upgrades which could have caused the problem.

[glc]

As part of your troubleshooting, I would uninstall (not just disable) all security packages, one at a time.

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by glc As part of your troubleshooting, I would uninstall (not just disable) all security packages, one at a time.

I have done just that over the past 30 minutes. I seem to have found a problem, though, in doing just that. I have been using Lavasoft's Adware and Adwatch for many, many, years, and in attempting to remove that program, found it to be nearly impossible to remove. After using the standard UNINSTALL package within Adaware, which failed to uninstall, I then went directly to XP's ADD/REMOVE, which again refused to uninstall or delete the program. It seems to want some form of program to help in the deletion of itself

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Wise Installation Wizard\

I then to manually remove each component of the Adaware program from within folder inside "Programs" and even had to disable read only on these files. The disabling of the program had no effect, again.

How can I remove the entire program and all its effects, other than the means I have thus far used?
I am unable to uninstall this program, which could be the actual cause of the problem.

[glc]

Reinstall it, then see if it will uninstall cleanly.